Spring is here, the season of transition to warmer temperatures, longer days and amazing sunsets. The Minot Parks crew has been busy clearing snow off Corbett Field and the Scheels Complex to have the turf in tip top shape when our area teams are ready to lace up their cleats for the season. The new press box, locker room and concession stand is near completion and ready to welcome players, coaches and fans to the beautifully upgraded complex. The Souris Valley Golf Course and Jack Hoeven Wee Links staff are eagerly waiting for the snow to melt to welcome back golfers of all ages.
Minot Park staff have been out doing safety checks on playgrounds and making sure they are ready for you and your family to enjoy. The greenhouses are overflowing with flowers soon to be planted in a park or facility near you. The Roosevelt Park Zoo is gearing up for spring hours and the leopard exhibit is near completion. The Roosevelt Park Pool had a refresh late last fall with the placement of a new liner throughout the entire pool.
Minot Parks will have a few projects underway this summer. First up will be completing the directional and interpretive signage on Phase One of the Outdoor Recreation Area. The district will also be bidding out Phase Two of the Outdoor Recreation Area that will include three additional miles of trails.
Another project that has been a long time coming is the revitalization of the Superfund Site located by the MAYSA Arena. Minot Park staff has been working closely with the City of Minot and the EPA to complete an 18-hole disc golf course, cross country running course and a mountain bike trail on the former superfund site. The goal is to start construction on the disc golf course this summer once approval is given from the EPA.
Summer Programs are open online and waiting for you to plan your best summer yet with Minot Parks. You can register for T Ball, baseball, softball, tennis, art, fitness gym and more. Be sure to ask about our summer program scholarships by calling our office at 857-4136.
Our Movie in the Park line up is set with our first movie set for June 2 with “Minions: The Rise of Guru” at the Oak Park Amphitheater. For a full listing of events visit our website at minotparks.com.
Another transition this season will be Minot Parks saying goodbye to Ron Merritt, executive director of the Minot Park District since 2005. Merritt has been with the Minot Park District since May 2, 1992, when he became a zookeeper at Roosevelt Park Zoo. Merritt became the director of the Roosevelt Park Zoo in 1998, followed by becoming the executive director of the Minot Park District in 2005. Ron has played a vital role in the success of the Minot Park District through the years.
“Many things have changed over the years, and I am proud of our many accomplishments. You always hope that you can make a difference in your place of work, to leave things better than they were when you started, and I do feel that is the case,” Merritt said in his letter of resignation. “Planning for the future has been and will continue to be a high priority for this organization. Partnerships with community organizations will also be important. I am very proud of being able to hire and retain great employees in key positions. They make our organization exceptional. I cannot say enough about the wonderful employees that work so hard every day.”
During his career, Ron has assisted in the completion of the Hoeven Baseball Complex, Roosevelt Pool and Bath House, Hammond Tennis Complex, the combination of the parks and recreation boards, multiple facility upgrades, flood recovery, greenway development, Magic City Discovery Center partnership and Outdoor Recreation Area Development. As both the zoo director and executive director of Minot Park District, he has earned many honors, including two successful Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditations for the zoo, the Minot Chamber of Commerce Above and Beyond Award and the Mayoral Coin. Under his leadership Minot Park District received the 1996 Golden Egg Award for the Penguin Exhibit and the 2009 NDRPA Golden Egg Award for Jack Hoeven Park. Ron received the 2014 NDRPA Fellow Award – now known as the Distinguished Professional Award.
Merritt was inducted into the NDRPA Hall of Fame, which is the highest honor bestowed on NDRPA Members. Ron has been an active member of NDRPA for 17 years and has served the Minot Park District for over 30 years. Mostly recently Ron was awarded with the Minot Area Chamber EDC Impact Award for Outstanding Leadership.
The Minot Park District Board has named Elly DesLauriers the new executive director of the Minot Park District. DesLauriers has been an integral part of the Park District for the past ten years, serving as the director of Marketing and Development. Her passion for the community and vision for the park district makes Elly an excellent asset to the city of Minot and the surrounding area.
During her time as Director of Marketing and Development, she coined the term “planning for the future” regarding the Park District’s mission. She has done just that during her decade with the parks, assisting on projects like the MAYSA expansion, Roosevelt Park Zoo exhibit renovations, Woodland Trail, Outdoor Recreation Area Development, greenway planning and more. Elly has put the Minot Citizen’s quality of life at the forefront of her career.
“It truly is an honor to have the opportunity to lead the Minot Park District and continue to improve the quality of life for our community,” says DesLauriers. “The future is bright for the Minot Community. As we move forward, planning will continue to be an integral part of our progression in maintaining our parks and facilities, completing future projects and being a fiscally responsible organization.”
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